Columns

Since the last snow storm trounced my part of the country, I’ve come to the conclusion that the world can be neatly divided into three distinct groups of people: snow lovers, snow haters, and what I’ve dubbed snow “laters,” laters being a combination of those who both love and hate snow.

My wife was coming home from the hospital last Thursday after her father died. It was late at night after a very long day. We waited up for her so we could give her a hug and let her know that we love her so very much.

A distinct variety of fulfilling entertainment was February’s appeasement for wearying us with intense cold, and pelting us with water in varying degrees of solid. There were plays and concerts, musicals and musicales. The past week in particular was jammed with much to do.

God is in details, I am supposed to believe, but I was having trouble finding him inside that lemon tree.

Actually, I didn’t even realize the darn thing was a tree. It looked like a plant, although a tree is a plant, I’ve since learned.

“You mean to tell me that’s a lemon tree?” I incredulously asked my wife. “It looks like a plain ol’ plant to me.” (“And a scrawny one at that,” but I kept my assessment to myself, for Lori seemed attracted to the tree, for some reason.)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”
- Jesus Christ

Good News. Wintertime warmth is not in short supply this week. Set a blazing fire at home, yawn and watch it sizzle by the hour, or get out to see the lovable, high-octane performances given by the Brett family, as they make their only Kentucky stop of a world tour.

The “classic” songs are the ones of which we never tire. Somehow they transcend the dulling influence of repetition on our emotions and return again and again to engage the soul. Of the thousands of tunes written each year in this country alone, only a few have that “something’ to become a classic, and each genre boasts its own.

Think. How many true music “classics” can you name in, let us say, one night? Need a little prompting?

Valentine’s Day precedes Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent by only four days this year. What a contrast in these two days.

Valentine’s Day is a day when many couples celebrate their love with cards, flowers and gifts---gifts often in some form of chocolate. (If you eat equal amounts of white chocolate and dark chocolate, is that a balanced diet?)